Chicken Coconut Curry Soup

 

The East coast has been hit with a major cold spell over the past week, and it's had me craving hearty comfort food. After having beef stew last week, I really wanted to switch gears and try something on the more exotic side. I love Thai food and curries, so I thought a coconut curry soup would really hit the spot after the snowy weather we've been experiencing.

 

 

Although this soup requires a handful of ingredients you may not have sitting in your pantry, it's well worth it to run out to the store and stock up.  Most grocery stores these days carry a wide variety of international food items raning from Asian, Indian, Spanish, Middle Eastern and beyond.  I didn't have any trouble finding eveyrthing I needed at the local Giant and Whole Foods. Once you have all your ingredients laid out, the process of making the soup is really quite simple. First I cooked rice (I made 2 cups cooked rice but you only need one cup for the soup) and roasted chicken breast in the oven.  My mom taught me how to roast chicken from a recipe she has used from the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten. Ina Garten has some of the best recipes, and she's pretty fabulous. If you don't believe me, then maybe you'll trust Liz Lemon and Jack Donaghy in this 30 Rock clip:

 

 

 

Once you have the rice and chicken ready, you just chop up the onion, bell pepper and carrots ( I cheated and bought matchstick carrots) and sautee in a sauce pan.  I added two cloves minced garlic and a half tablespoon grated ginger. After sauteeing for 5 minutes, you add the chicken, rice, curry paste, sugar and fish sauce and stir for a few minutes until incorporated. Then you add the the chicken broth and coconut milk and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  I served the soup with cilantro, lime wedges and pineapple chunks (some family members may have opted for a pineapple free soup, so serving on the side made it easy to dress up the soup to individual's preferences).

 

If I were to personify this dish, it would be the Sofia Vergara of soups!  Spicy, sassy, bold, and gorgeous. The rich and creamy coconut milk marries beautifully with the heat of the red curry paste.  The fish sauce brings an added depth of that umami flavor. It's really doesn't have a 'fishy' taste, but rather a complexity of sweet, salty and sour.  The chicken and rice add heartiness, and the veggies add earthness and texture.  Cilantro, lime and pineapple bring a touch of brightness, tang and sweetness that contrasted with the spiciness of the curry paste. Pair this soup with a bright and slightly sweet riesling, (Kung Fu Girl Riesling is excellent) and you have a delicious and satisfying meal.

Chicken Coconut Curry Soup
(from the Savory Sweet Life Blog - savorysweetlife.com)

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, peeled, finely chopped (I used store bought matchstick carrots)
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup cooked chicken meat (I used 1 package of chicken tenderloins which I drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted at 350 F for about 20 minutes or until cooked through)
1 cup cooked rice (I used Jasmine)
2 tablespoons red curry paste (use more or less depending on how spicy you'd like)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
13.5 oz can Asian coconut milk or cream - unsweetend (I used reduced fat and it didn't notice a difference)
21 oz chicken broth
Optional: 2 tablespoons fish sauce, cilantro
Reserve some coconut milk, carrots and bell pepper for garnish
(I added pineapple chunks and served lime wedges and cilantro on the side)

Directions:
In medium sauce pan, heat olive oil on medium heat and cool chopped onions, carrots, and red bell pepper for approximately 5 minutes. Add curry paste, brown sugar, chicken, rice and fish sauce stirring and sauteing everything until curry paste is completely incorporated (approx 2-3 minutes). Pour chicken broth and cooconut milk into the pan and give it a good stir for a half minute. Reduce heat to a medium and allow the soup to cook for 15-20 minutes. Serve with a spoonful of coconut milk added on top with a few match stick carrots and slice of bell pepper for garnish or add pineapple and cilantro and lime wedges!

A Twist on Pad Thai

Fresh mint, chives, and cilantro totally make these noodles!

The inspiration for my most recent noodle dish comes from the popular Pad Thai dish. Pad Thai is a great first introduction to Thai cuisine for those afraid of the heat from thai chilis. Usually a combination of rice noodles, lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, a little chili pepper, cilantro, peanuts, and shrimp or pork.

My recipe took a liberal interpretation of pad thai, using a stronger peanut flavored sauce that I had in the cabinet, adding in peanut butter, lime juice, garlic, and chili paste. In substitution of shrimp and pork, I sauteeed a bunch of carrots, squash, and mushrooms. I also used whole wheat spaghetti because that's what I had in my cabinet. The addition of fresh cilantro, mint, and chives at the end really made this dish. The bright herbs mellowed out the rich peanut sauce. I also made this noodle dish a lot spicier than a traditional pad thai. You can use less paste if you desire less heat.

Peanut noodles with veggies and fresh herbs.

Recipe for Spicy Peanut Noodles with Vegetables and Herbs

2 large or 4 small carrots, julienned

2 small yellow squash, julienned

2 cups mushrooms, sliced

1/2 lb whole wheat spaghetti (or rice noodles)

1/4 c peanut sauce (I used 365 Organic Peanut Sauce)

3 tbsp peanut butter (chunky or smooth)

2 tbsp chili paste (I would recommend using 1 tbsp for less heat or you can omit)

1 lime, juiced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 handful cilantro, chopped

6 sprigs mint, chopped

6 stalks of chives, chopped

1/4 c peanuts, chopped

Heat two tablespoons oil in a large saucepan. Sautee carrots for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and squash and sautee 3-5 more minutes. While vegetables are cooking, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add noodles, cook for 8 minutes. Add in peanut sauce, peanut butter, garlic and chili paste. Stir peanut butter mixture together until well mixed. Add lime juice. Toss vegetables in sauce. When noodles have cooked, al dente, remove from water. Drain and add to vegetable mixture. Toss well and top with herbs and peanuts.

Vegetable Thai Red Curry

Red Curry with carrots, zucchini, bell pepper, and pineapple.

When I dine out at Thai restaurants, I am always tempted by the curry dishes. With its spicy thai chilis and sweet, fragrant coconut milk, curry offers complex, yet comforting flavors. In an attempt to broaden my dinner choices in college, I bought at thai recipe book. Since that acquisition thai red curry with pineapple has been one of my favorites to prepare. My go-to add-ins were shrimp, bell pepper, and pineapple. This time around I made it vegetarian.

The recipe is really simple, especially if you buy a pre-made chili paste. I have made my own in the past, which provides some amazingly fresh flavor. But the premade stuff is pretty good too. There are a couple items that you might not have on hand, like fish sauce, but trust me its worth purchasing. Fish sauce is a staple of thai cooking, so you will use it again and again. Read the recipe and figure out what items you will need to purchase before turning on your stovetop.

Simmering the red curry. Garnish with cilantro.

Thai Red Curry

Adapted from "Quick & Easy Thai: 70 Everyday Recipes" by Nanci McDermott

1 1/2 c unsweetened coconut milk

2 tbsp red curry paste (or more for super hot curry)

1/2 c water

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp sugar

1 cup drained canned pineapple chunks or bite size fresh pineapple

6 wild lime leaves (optional; I added the juice of 1 lime)

2 zucchini (sliced into half moons)

1 orange bell pepper (cut into bite size pieces)

2 carrots (sliced)

1/3 cup cilantro

In medium skillet or saucepan, heat 1/2 cup coconut milk over medium-hihg heat, stirring often, until thickened and gragrant, two to three minutes. Add red curry paste and cook a minute or two, pressing and stirring to dissolve it. Stir in remaining 1 cup coconut milk, the water, fish sauce, sugar, vegetables, and lime leaves (or juice). cook over medium heat until vegetables soften, 4-5 minutes. Add the pineapple and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Serve over rice.

First Dinner in Mountain View, CA

Mango Chicken.

When AJ asked Jenny what kind of cuisine she wanted to eat for dinner, she made the right decision when she said "Asian". Mountain View has a ton of options when it comes to Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Indian, and Korean. We decided to stroll down Castro St and just pick a restaurant that looked good. This sort of method inevitably leads to either a great meal or a mediocre one.

While we passed many Thai restaurants, some looked quite barren. We finally stumbled upon one that looked quite crowded, usually a good sign. We were seated quite quickly, but then left with our menus for awhile.

Amarin Thai has some neat seating options, with cushion seating available on the floor or the traditional dining table with chairs. We were seated at a table that was smacked up against the large table next to us. Jenny and Malia could barely move their seats.

Scallops with stir fried veggies, and mango chicken.

After perusing the menu, our orders were taken. The food came out fairly quickly after that. Amarin Thai offers both brown rice and steamed white rice with dinner entrees, something I love. Sometimes I am just in the mood for some nutty brown rice. AJ and I split the green with tofu and the ka-ree pumpkin. Malia ordered the grilled scallops and Jenny got the mango chicken.

While the service may have been lacking a little, the food more than made up for it. I was in love with my ka-ree pumpkin, a thick curry with peppers, pan-fried tofu, celery, onion, pumpkin, carrots, and lots of cumin. AJ's green curry was very well done, with some nice heat, with a light coconut broth.

Green curry with tofu, eggplant, peas, peppers, and thai basil.

Jenny and Malia's dishes were beautifully presented and were extremely fresh. Sometimes, thai food can be oily and heavy. The food here is prepared with a light hand, with emphasis on the quality and flavor of the ingredients. I will definitely be back.

Amarin Thai Cuisine

174-176 Castro St

Mountain View, CA

2.5 out of 3 JAMs

I tend to curry favor with some shrimp red curry...

It is funny how tastes tend to change over time. According to my psychobiology teacher, that would be due to the fact that we lose tastebuds as we age. I used to hate thai food when I was growing up. My parents would rave about this little thai restaurant in Falls Church, bringing home leftover spicy catfish and green curry for us to try. I would taste a little piece of fish and claim that it was too spicy or fishy.

The remnants of our thai takeout (shrimp red curry and pad kee mao aka "drunken noodles")

Fast forward years later, and thai food has become one of my favorite cuisines. While many Americans are familiar with pad thai and curries, they often overlook the many other dishes that are offered in thai restaurants. I have become more adventurous with my selections, as I hope to gain a more thorough understanding of thai cuisine.


On a recent Sunday evening, my parents, Malia, and I were trying to decide what takeout option would satiate our hunger. Having had pizza earlier in the week, I suggested Thai. We quickly got out our favorite takeout menu for Pilin.


Taking charge as usual, my Mom told us to order our Dad's favorite dish "that eggplant thing" (also known as Tofu Eggplant Basil). We also ordered the Tom Yum Gai soup, Pad Kee Mao, shrimp red curry, and chicken satay.


This turned out to be the perfect amount of food. As you can see from the picture, we happily devoured our meal (I was only able to capture the remnants). The highlights of the meal were probably the Tom Yum Gai soup, the red curry, and the eggplant. The Tom Yum Gai is a spicy lemon grass broth filled with shrimp, mushrooms, onion, and hot peppers. Boy did the pepper flecks explode in your mouth. I love a spicy soup, and this one is sure to clear out your sinuses! The lemongrass, lime juice, and cilantro give so much depth of flavor to this dish. It is light and fresh.


The red curry was excellent, although it could have been a little spicier in my opinion. I like to be on the verge of tears when I'm eating thai food. But in all seriousness, this curry is light, slightly spicy, and full of flavor. The coconut milk adds body and creaminess. The fish sauce gives it a salty depth of flavor. The juicy shrimp were a great addition.


The eggplant is sauted with tofu, basil, and peppers in a bean sauce. The eggplant soak up the sauce and the oil. I would have used a tad less oil, but the flavors were excellent. The basil is super fresh. The tofu is slightly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.


The chicken satay was decent - grilled pieces of meat that were fairly juicy. The peanut sauce was too sweet. The biggest disappointment, the pad kee mao (drunken noodles) had very little kick. This dish is supposed to be very spicy, but this version was lacking in chillis. The beans served with the noodles were crunchy and sweet - which would have been a nice compliment had there been more heat. The noodles lacked much flavor besides the taste of oil.

I would skip the noodles and go with a curry or pilin specialty. I have tried the catfish on occasion and would definitely recommend that (and don't forget the delicious soup). All in all Pilin does an excellent job with the preparation of all their dishes. Don't be afraid to try something other than Pad Thai!



Pilin Restaurant


116 West Broad St.
Falls Church, VA 22046
TEL. 703 241 5850


8385 Leesburg Pike
Vienna, VA 22182
TEL. 703 556 9191

2 out of 3 JAMs